UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA 

COLLEGE    OF    AGRICULTURE 

AGRICULTURAL   EXPERIMENT   STATION 

CIRCULAR  No.  275 

February,  1924 

MARKETABLE  CALIFORNIA 
DECORATIVE  GREENS 

BY 

C.  L.  FLINT* 


Chaparral  is  the  common  name  for  the  many  small  trees  and  shrubs 
of  our  California  plains  and  mountains,  including  the  "greens" — the 
florists 's  word  for  chaparral.  Using  the  name  chaparral  has  long  been 
the  easy  way  of  naming  the  various  trees  and  shrubs  of  the  hills  and 
plains  and  the  means  of  satisfying  many  an  idle  inquiry  as  to  "  what 
is  this  and  what  is  that."  The  word  "greens"  conveys  little  more 
meaning  to  the  person  not  connected  with  the  florist  trade  than  the 
word  "chaparral."  To  the  florist  trade  it  conveys  the  thought  of 
many  plants  that  are  used  as  background  and  filler  material  for  set 
pieces  and  bouquets.  Many  of  these  greens  are  native  while  a  few  are 
of  exotic  origin.  Consequently  it  may  be  enlightening  to  some  and  of 
profit  to  others  to  learn  of  the  chaparrals  that  the  florists  use  as  greens. 

The  owners  of  these  native  greens  frequently  under-estimate  their 
value  as  a  crop,  which,  if  properly  handled,  is  a  paying  one.  It  is 
needless  to  say  that  the  market  cannot  absorb  all  of  the  native  greens 
that  exist,  but  it  can  utilize  a  small  part  of  the  best.  However,  the 
population  of  California  is  becoming  increasingly  urban  each  year,  so 
that  the  demand  for  the  native  greens  may  be  expected  to  increase ; 
furthermore,  with  lower  freight  rates,  probably  a  market  could  be 
developed  in  other  states. 

ONLY  THE  BEST  MATERIALS  SALABLE 

Select  only  the  best  materials,  leaving  the  yellow,  broken  leaves 
and  immature  growth  out  of  the  pack,  as  it  is  only  the  fresh  green 
foliage  and  plump,  well-developed  berries  that  look  well  after  shipping. 
There  are  dealers  in  the  larger  cities  who  can  market  to  greater 


Instructor  in  Landscape  Gardening  and  Floriculture. 


UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA — EXPERIMENT    STATION 


Circular  275]      MARKETABLE   CALIFORNIA  DECORATIVE   GREENS  3 

advantage  than  the  individual,  and  as  the  market  is  limited,  it  is 
advisable  for  the  producers  to  get  in  touch  with  these  firms  rather 
than  ship  direct  to  the  flower  market.  A  market  can  also  be  established 
in  the  small  cities  and  towns  through  the  local  florists.  For  the  sale 
of  Christmas  greens,  one  should  begin  to  look  for  a  market  in  October, 
as  the  florist  will  be  able  to  use  some  of  the  material  for  Thanksgiving, 
the  greater  amount  being  in  demand  from  December  7  to  December  24. 
There  is  a  limited  market  for  certain  greens  throughout  the  year. 

PACKING 

In  general,  Christmas  berries  are  packed  in  wooden  boxes,  mistletoe 
in  paper  boxes  and  ferns,  huckleberry,  cherry  and  salal  in  bales.  For 
the  last  four,  tanbark  oak  or  large  huckleberry  sprays  may  be  used 
as  an  outside  wrapper.  The  bales  are  generally  shipped  by  freight, 
with  as  light  a  wrapping  as  feasible.  Selected  packs  of  fine  sprays  of 
well-berried  mistletoe  or  well-made  wreaths  of  silver  tipped  redwood, 
with  a  small  number  of  redwood  cones,  frequently  find  a  ready  sale 
in  the  best  florist  establishments. 

SOFT  FERN  OR  WOOD  FERN,  Bryopteris  rigida  arguta 

The  soft  fern  or  wood  fern,  as  Bryopteris  is  variously  called,  is 
used  by  florists  in  set  pieces  as  backgrounds  for  other  material  almost 
universally  throughout  the  country.  The  demand  is  rather  limited  but 
comparatively  constant.  In  some  sections  of  the  United  States  it  is 
claimed  to  be  disappearing  because  of  a  worm  that  is  attacking  it. 
This  worm  has  not  been  reported  in  this  state.  In  the  southern  part 
of  the  United  States,  great  quantities  of  wood  fern  are  put  into  cold 
storage  each  year  for  use  in  the  spring  months.  These  ferns  grow  in 
the  semi-moist  places  throughout  the  wooded  areas  of  California  and 
attain  their  greatest  size  in  the  coast  mountains.  They  are  also  found 
throughout  the  middle  altitudes  of  the  Sierras,  and  because  of  their 
hardiness  make  especially  fine  ornamental  plants.  The  collector  cuts 
entire  fronds  measuring  from  18  to  28  inches  in  length.  The  usable 
tip-end  portions  are  frequently  12  to  20  inches  long. 

Packing. — The  fronds  are  packed  by  laying  each  partially  across 
the  other,  never  one  exactly  on  top  of  the  other.  A  typical  bunch  of 
soft  ferns  contains  30  long  fronds  and  22  short  frond  tips,  12  to  20 
inches  in  length.  The  pack  might  be  started  by  using  two  entire  fronds 
laying  with  the  tips  out  and  at  a  slight  angle  to  each  other,  and  then 
another  entire  frond  placed  between  the  two,  continuing  the  pack  by 


4  UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 

alternating  the  layers — that  is,  two  flat  and  a  third  between,  but  in  the 
meantime  keeping  the  stems  quite  close  together  and  the  tips  spreading 
out  in  a  fan  shape,  so  that  the  entire  pack  will  lay  as  flat  as  possible 
and  tie  with  a  soft  binding  cord.  These  small  bunches  are  placed  in  a 
bale  with  the  butt  ends  out,  so  as  to  preserve  the  tender  tips.    Coarser 


Fig.  2. — Woodwardia  or  giant  fern,  Woodwardia  chamissoi. 


material,  such  as  huckleberry  or  large  brakes,  is  used  as  a  wrapper. 
This  material  is  sometimes  sent  by  express,  as  it  is  a  little  more  tender 
than  Christmas  berries  and  must  arrive  at  its  destination  before  becom- 
ing dry,  but  wherever  the  freight  can  be  relied  upon  to  travel  through 
direct,  ship  in  that  way.  The  bales  weigh  from  125  to  150  pounds 
and  consist  of  112  to  140  bunches  to  the  bale.  The  annual  wholesale 
value  for  the  Bay  Region  is  approximately  $37,000. 


CIRCULAR  275]      MARKETABLE    CALIFORNIA   DECORATIVE   GREENS 


HAED  FERN  OE  SWOED  FEEN,  Polystichum  munitum 

This  fern  is  also  known  as  the  sword  fern,  having  fronds  from  one 
to  four  feet  long.  However,  the  collector  seldom  cuts  the  entire  frond, 
usually  cutting  in  lengths  of  from  18  inches  to  30  inches.  It  is  found 
growing  both  in.  the  coast  mountains  and  in  the  Sierras. 

Packing. — Packing  is  carried  on  in  nearly  the  same  way  as  with 
the  soft  fern.  There  are  fewer  small  tips  and  the  size  is  more  uniform. 
The  lower  portions  of  the  fronds  are  broken  off  because  of  their  size 
and  weight.  The  fronds  may  be  bound  together  with  a  green  withe  of 
California  Bay  or  other  pliable  material,  thus  saving  the  expense  of 
rope,  and  approximately  two  dozen  are  placed  in  a  bunch.  This  mate- 
rial is  also  used  for  set  pieces,  and  the  coarser  portions  are  used  by  the 
florists  in  flower  baskets  to  hold  the  stems  of  the  flowers  upright. 
These  fronds  bring  from  three  to  four  dollars  a  thousand,  depending 
upon  the  season.    The  annual  wholesale  value  is  approximately  $40,000. 

WOODWAEDIA  OE  GIANT  FEEN,  Woodwardia  chamissoi 

These  ferns  grow  from  three  to  five  feet  long  and  are  gracefully 
curved.  They  are  found  growing  in  groups  of  from  five  to  twenty 
fronds  along  the  streams  in  the  Coast  Range  and  in  the  Sierra  Nevada. 
It  is  possible  to  transplant  them  to  the  lower  altitudes  and  even  in  the 
heat  of  the  interior  valleys  when  given  sufficient  shade  or  planted  on 
the  north  side  of  a  building.  The  fronds  are  cut  and  carefully  packed, 
the  season  lasting  through  the  entire  year,  except  for  a  short  time  in 
the  summer  when  the  growth  is  soft.  The  ferns  are  usually  cut  to 
order  and  sold  by  the  hundred  or  thousand,  the  usual  wholesale  price 
varying  from  $2  to  $3  a  hundred.  The  old  clumps  when  cut  off  do 
not  grow  sufficiently  to  furnish  new  fronds  large  enough  for  cutting 
for  at  least  three  years.  Care  should  be  taken  not  to  injure  the  new 
fronds  that  are  just  coming  up  when  cutting  the  mature  ones.  The 
stalk  or  lower  portion  of  the  frond,  some  eight  or  twelve  inches  long, 
should  be  cut  away  so  as  to  reduce  the  weight  for  shipment. 

This  fern  is  one  of  the  largest  and  most  useful  in  the  florist  trade 
for  large  extensive  decorations,  such  as  weddings  and  receptions. 

OREGON  PINE  OE  DOUGLAS  FIB,  Pseudotsuga  taxi  folia 

This  is  the  most  popular  material  for  Christmas  trees  in  the  north- 
west and  great  quantities  of  the  small  trees  are  shipped  to  California 
from  Oregon  and  Washington.     The  cut  branches  appearing  on  the 


6 


UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 


San  Francisco  market,  however,  are  gathered  in  this  state  and  are 
selected  because  of  their  cones,  which  have  a  feathered  appearance, 
owing  to  the  presence  of  small  fleur-de-lis-shaped  bracts.  They  are 
found  growing  in  the  Santa  Lucia  and  Santa  Cruz  ranges,  Marin 
County,  and  in  the  Sonoma  and  Napa  valleys  northward ;  also  in  the 
Sierra  Nevada  Mountains  south  to  the  San  Joaquin  River.  The 
branches  bearing  the  cones  are  rather  attractive  and  are  used  very 


Fig.  3. — a.  Oregon  pine  or  Douglas  fir,  Pseudotsuga  taxifolia. 
b.  Redwood,  Sequoia  sempervirens 

extensively  at  Christmas  time.  These  branches  are  cut  in  one-  to 
three-foot  lengths,  six  or  seven  tied  together  in  a  bunch  and  wholesaled 
at  50  to  75  cents  each. 


REDWOOD,  Sequoia  sempervirens 

The  branches  of  this  close  relative  of  the  Giant  Redwood  are  used 
extensively  for  Christmas  decorations.  It  is  found  near  the  coast,  in 
the  Santa  Cruz  Mountains,  on  Redwood  Peak  in  the  Oakland  Hills, 
and  in  Marin,  Sonoma,  Mendocino,  Napa,  and  Humboldt  counties,  its 
growth  being  practically  confined  to  the  Northwest  Coast  belt  from 
Monterey  County  to  the  Oregon  border.    Its  flat  sprays,  spreading  as 


CIRCULAR  275]       MARKETABLE    CALIFORNIA   DECORATIVE    GREENS  7 

they  do  on  both  sides  of  the  stem,  and  its  shining  green  leaves  make  it 
exceedingly  attractive  material  for  wreaths  and  garlands.  The  small 
oval  cones,  only  %  to  1%  inches  long  and  about  %  of  an  inch  thick. 
borne  at  the  ends  of  the  branches,  when  used  in  small  numbers  form 
attractive  decorations  for  wreaths.  The  flower  buds  of  the  Redwood 
give  it  a  silvery  tipped  appearance  and  make  it  preferred  for  the  best 
wreaths.  These  silver  tips  are  found  on  the  oldest  trees  and  are  there- 
fore difficult  to  obtain.  The  sprays  are  cut  in  two-  to  four-foot  lengths 
and  put  into  bales  of  150  to  300  pounds  with  the  butts  out,  so  that  the 
branches  are  protected  in  transit. 

Yards  of  garlands  are  made  from  redwood  branches  during  the 
holiday  season.  This  is  done  by  taking  binder  twine  for  the  center 
and  wrapping  redwood  sprays  some  eight  to  ten  inches  in  length  to 
the  twine  by  means  of  number  22  wire.  Men  are  paid  about  four  cents 
a  yard  for  doing  this  work,  and  a  day 's  work  ranges  from  125  to  300 
yards,  depending  upon  the  adeptness  of  the  worker.  The  second 
growth  redwood  appearing  around  the  old  stumps  is  especially 
adapted  to  this  purpose,  and  is  cut  in  three-  to  four-foot  lengths  and 
packed  as  described  before.  Wreaths  are  contracted  for  by  the  whole- 
salers, the  contractor  furnishing  the  form  for  the  wreath  and  the  wire 
for  binding.  The  usual  price  for  this  work  is  one  dollar  per  dozen 
wreaths.  One  man  in  Sonoma  County  had  a  contract  for  two  thousand 
dozen  wreaths  this  last  season,  and  there  are  many  other  individuals 
producing  wreaths  which  are  sold  in  the  cities  by  solicitors.  Fre- 
quently orders  for  the  wreaths  are  solicited  some  three  or  four  weeks 
before  Christmas  by  house-to-house  canvas.  Bales  of  silver-tipped  red- 
wood sell  from  $2.50  to  $3  or  more,  according  to  the  size  and  appear- 
ance of  the  bale.  This  is  one  of  the  materials  for  which  there  is  little 
demand  after  the  Christmas  holidays. 

Redwood  Burls. — These  growths,  ranging  in  diameter  from  a  few 
inches  to  one  foot  or  eighteen  inches,  are  sawed  from  the  redwoods  and 
sold  as  redwood  ferns,  not  because  they  are  in  any  way  related  to  the 
ferns,  but  because  of  the  graceful  green,  feathery  growth  which  results 
when  the  burl  is  placed  cut-side  down  in  a  shallow  dish  of  water.  This 
growth  is  due  to  the  innumerable  buds  that  each  contorted  mass  of 
wood  contains.  They  may  be  obtained  in  pieces  up  to  6  or  7  feet  in 
diameter,  but  the  florists  usually  prefer  the  smaller  sizes. 


8  UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA — EXPERIMENT    STATION 

CALIFORNIA  BARBERRY  OR  OREGON  GRAPE,  Berberis  pinnata 
(Mahonia  pinnata) 

Berberis  pinnata  is  closely  related  to  Berberis  aquifolium,  which 
grows  extensively  in  Oregon  and  the  northern  part  of  the  state.  It 
should  be  well  colored  for  shipment.  The  apple-green  leaves  do  not 
make  as  salable  material  as  those  that  are  dark  green  and  shiny,  with 
tinges  of  brown,  yellow  and  red  in  them.  Material  grown  on  the  north- 
erly slopes  of  the  hills  seems  to  have  better  color  than  that  grown  in 
other  locations.  The  spiny  leaves  give  it  much  the  appearance  of  holly, 
and  its  high  color  together  with  good  keeping  and  shipping  qualities, 
makes  it  a  favorite  with  the  florist.  It  is  used  by  itself  to  a  considerable 
extent  for  restaurant  decorations  and  in  baskets  and  vases  of  coarse 
material.  It  is  cut  in  stems  measuring  12  to  24  inches  in  length,  the 
majority  being  14  to  15  inches  long,  wTith  24  to  26  stems  to  the  bunch. 
These  are  packed  in  boxes  or  bales,  wuth  the  butts  out,  so  as  to  protect 
the  foliage.  This  material  has  its  greatest  sales  during  the  winter 
months,  and  should  not  be  shipped  when  it  is  making  its  new  growth. 
Its  wholesale  value  varies  from  30  to  50  cents  a  bunch,  depending  upon 
the  coloring  and  freshness.  Only  a  limited  amount  of  this  material  is 
used  in  California,  but  a  market  for  it  exists  in  the  other  states. 

IVY,  Vancouveria  parviflora 

A  low  perennial  herb  with  slender,  creeping,  woody  root-stocks. 
The  leaves  are  attractively  heart-shaped,  somewhat  three-lobed,  angu- 
lar and  resembling  English  Ivy  from  which  it  gets  its  florist's  name. 
It  is  generally  put  up  in  large  bunches  consisting  of  six  smaller  bunches 
containing  approximately  30  stems  each,  the  stems  ranging  in  length 
from  6  to  12  inches.  This  material  is  found  growing  in  the  shade  of 
the  redwoods  in  the  Santa  Cruz  Mountains  and  northward  into  British 
Columbia.  It  can  be  naturalized  as  a  ground  cover  in  the  home  garden, 
and  is  especially  good  for  shady  places.  There  is  very  little  demand 
for  this  material  at  the  present  time,  as  it  is  used  only  in  the  construc- 
tion of  set  pieces.  The  season  is  approximately  from  September  to 
March,  and  at  present  two  men  supply  the  demand  for  the  wholesale 
flower  market  in  San  Francisco.  This  is  material,  however,  that  would 
be  worthy  of  introduction  to  other  parts  of  the  country,  as  it  is  attrac- 
tive and  well  adapted  for  design  work.  It  has  good  keeping  qualities 
and  is  sold  at  a  low  price,  the  present  wholesale  price  being  fifty  cents 
for  180  to  200  stems. 


Circular  275 J      MARKETABLE    CALIFORNIA   DECORATIVE   GREENS 


Fig.  4. — A.  California  barberry  or  Oregon  grape    (Mahonia  Pinnata) 

Berberis  pinnata,  as  prepared  by  the  wholesaler. 

B.  Ivy,  Vancouveria  parviflora,  as  prepared  by  the  wholesaler. 


10 


UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 


CHRISTMAS  BERRY  OR  TOYON,  PJwtinia  arbutifolia  (Heteromeles  arbutifolia) 

Bright  color,  especially  a  shade  of  red,  is  the  life  of  Christmas 
decorations.  Consequently  the  toyon  is  a  favorite  material  for  the 
November  and  December  holiday  trade.  The  fact  that  it  bears  fine 
clusters  of  crimson  berries  from  November  to  January  and  has  bright 
evergreen  leaves,  makes  it  doubly  valuable.  If  a  native  berried  shrub 
were  to  be  selected  that  would  grow  equally  well  throughout  the  entire 
state,  one  would  be  inclined  to  choose  the  toyon.  It  is  found  both  north 
and  south,  along  the  streams  and  canons  throughout  the  Coast  Range 


Fig.  5. — a.  Christmas  berry  or  toyon,  Photinia  arbutifolia  {Heteromeles 

arbutifolia). 
B.  Lemon  or  salal,  Gaultheria  sliallon,  as  prepared  by  the  wholesaler. 


and  the  Sierra  Nevada,  and  in  great  abundance  at  middle  elevations 
from  Napa  to  Humboldt  County.  Highly  colored  berries  come  from 
Amador  County.  The  shrub  or  small  tree  grows  from  5  to  15  feet 
high.  The  appearance  of  the  material  handled  by  the  wholesale  dealers 
would  indicate  that  some  care  is  being  used  in  gathering,  to  avoid 
destroying  the  shrub. 

Length  of  Stems. — Short  branches  measuring  1  to  2  feet  and  bear- 
ing several  leaves  with  a  terminal  cluster  of  berries,  are  stripped  from 
the  plant.  Cutting  would  of  course  be  much  preferable  as  far  as  the 
future  growth  of  the  plant  is  concerned. 

Packing. — The  branches  are  packed  in  wooden  boxes  in  layers  con- 
sisting of  three  rows — two  rows  with  the  berries  to  the  outside  of  the 


CIRCULAR  275]      MARKETABLE    CALIFORNIA   DECORATIVE   GREENS  11 

box,  their  stem  ends  butted  together  and  one  row  placed  on  top  of 
these  butted  stems.  A  loosely  constructed  box  with  spaces  between 
the  boards  is  undesirable,  as  it  allows  the  foliage  to  dry  out.  Lining 
the  box  with  newspaper  would  undoubtedly  protect  the  quality  of  the 
berries  by  checking  evaporation.  A  cool  dark  cave  would  make  an 
ideal  place  to  store  the  berries  while  collecting  enough  to  pack  and 
ship.  It  is  advisable  to  do  all  that  is  possible  to  keep  the  cut  branches 
cool  and  well  shaded  while  waiting  for  packing.  Boxes  holding  at 
least  300  pounds  should  be  used,  so  that  advantage  may  be  taken 
of  the  minimum  freight  rate,  but  they  should  not  exceed  600  pounds, 
as  boxes  of  such  weight  are  difficult  to  handle.  A  350-pound  box  is 
about  the  best  weight  to  ship.  Such  a  box  measures  on  the  outside  27 
inches  by  27  inches  by  50  inches,  or  28  inches  by  32  inches  by  46  inches. 
On  the  other  hand,  a  box  a  yard  square  would  hold  over  600  pounds. 
Shipping  by  freight  is  advisable. 

Charges. — The  packer  or  owner  is  frequently  paid  three  cents  a 
pound  for  the  net  weight  of  the  material,  plus  a  charge  for  boxes  and 
packing,  or  he  may  be  paid  for  the  gross  weight.  The  wholesaler  pays 
transportation  and  distributing  charges.  Distributing  consists  of  put- 
ting the  berries  in  bunches  weighing  about  five  pounds  each  and 
delivering  them  to  the  retailer,  or  the  wholesaler  may  sell  by  the  case. 
There  are  probably  between  350  and  500  tons  of  this  berry  sold  in  the 
state  during  the  holidays,  with  a  wholesale  value  of  between  $70,000 
and  $100,000. 

Reasons  for  Popularity. — The  reasons  for  its  popularity  are — 
timely  season  of  maturing  its  berries,  bright  color  of  berries,  evergreen 
leaves,  good  keeping  quality,  cheapness,  abundance  and  because  it  is 
a  good  substitute  for  the  holly  berry  of  tradition.  The  fact  that  it  will 
withstand  shipping  long  distances  is  in  its  favor.  Superior  material 
might  be  grown  in  any  part  of  the  interior,  coast,  or  mountain  sections 
by  giving  the  plants  plenty  of  water  and  cultivation.  It  takes  from 
five  to  eight  years  to  establish  good  berry-bearing  plants  from  seeds. 
By  cutting  each  year  from  alternate  rows,  an  early,  annual,  superior 
crop  is  insured,  which  would  sell  at  about  10  cents  a  pound  to  the  trade. 


LEMON  OR  SALAL,  Gnulthcria  shallon 

This  plant,  growing  one  to  five  feet  high,  with  its  large  lemon-like 
leaves  from  two  to  four  inches  long,  is  an  evergreen  having  a  slight 
spicy  aromatic  odor  when  crushed.  It  is  found  growing  in  the  Santa 
Lucia    Mountains;    Kedwood    Peak,    Alameda    County;    and    Marin 


12  UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 

County  to  Humboldt  and  northward  along  the  coast.  The  florist  calls 
it  "lemon,"  and  it  is  known  quite  commonly  along  the  Pacific  Slope 
as  salal.  Its  value  to  the  florist  lies  in  its  cheapness  and  its  long- 
keeping  qualities.  He  uses  it  for  decorating  stores,  in  set  pieces  and 
baskets,  and  sells  large  bunches  at  a  low  price.  Care  should  be  taken 
not  to  gather  this  material  when  the  growth  is  soft  and  immature,  as 
it  will  wilt  and  look  bad  upon  arrival.  About  half  a  ton  a  day  of  this 
material  is  used  in  the  bay  district.  One  wholesale  firm  distributes 
40  bales  a  month.  The  wholesale  value  of  the  amount  used  in  a  season 
is  approximately  $30,000. 

Packing. — The  material  is  packed  for  shipment  in  bales  about  2% 
by  21/9  by  4  feet  in  size,  weighing  from  112  to  200  pounds.  It  is  cut 
in  three-foot  lengths  and  packed  by  placing  the  cut  ends  outward,  so 
that  the  salable  portions  are  protected  inside  the  bale. 


HUCKLEBEEEY,  Vaccinium  ovatum 

More  of  this  green  is  used  than  all  others.  It  is  an  evergreen  shrub 
growing  four  to  eight  feet  high,  occurring  frequently  with  the  second 
growth  redwood.  The  leaves  are  small — %  inch  to  1%  inches  long. 
The  dark  purple  berries  are  edible  and  are  being  sold  upon  the  San 
Francisco  market  in  considerable  quantities.  It  is  found  growing 
wherever  there  are  redwoods — in  Monterey  County,  the  Berkeley  hills, 
Marin  County  and  northward.  July  and  August  are  usually  the 
poorest  months  to  gather  it,  as  growth  is  then  soft  and  immature.  The 
material  growing  in  the  vicinity  of  Oakland  is  not  so  vigorous  as  that 
in  the  northern  part  of  the  state  and  consequently  does  not  have  the 
bright  shiny  leaves  of  the  latter.  Its  low  purchase  price,  shining  green 
leaves,  red-tinged  branches,  diversity  of  growth  and  excellent  keeping 
qualities  make  it  one  of  the  most  attractive  of  the  native  greens  for 
florists 's  use  and  it  is  used  throughout  the  year.  There  are  approxi- 
mately 2250  pounds  used  each  day  in  the  bay  district.  Its  value  as 
sold  to  the  florist  is  approximately  $50,000  a  year  for  the  bay  region 
alone. 

Packing. — The  huckleberry  is  cut  into  two-  to  four-foot  lengths, 
packed  in  150  to  200-pound  bales,  butts  out,  and  salable  portions 
placed  in  the  center  of  the  pack.  The  outside  wrapping  is  frequently 
of  tanbark  oak  or  coarser  pieces  of  huckleberry.  The  wholesaler 
repacks  in  bunches  weighing  from  six  to  eight  pounds  for  the  florist 
trade. 


Circular  275]      MARKETABLE    CALIFORNIA    DECORATIVE   GREENS 


1  Q 

1  ■> 


MISTLETOE,  Phoradendron  flavescens 

There  are  three  varieties  of  mistletoe  growing  in  California — 
Phoradendron  flavescens,  Phoradendron  villosum,  and  Phoradendron 
bolleanum.  The  first  is  the  yellow  mistletoe  of  the  interior,  found 
growing  on  the  cottonwood  and  California  buckeye.  The  leaves  are 
circular  to  oval  or  narrowly  elliptic  in  outline,  3^2  inches  long  or  less, 
with  a  distinct  stem.     The  berries  are  white  and  in  spikes  up  to  IV2 


Fig.  6. — Huckleberry,  Vaccinium  oratum,  as  prepared  for  and  by  the  wholesaler. 


inches  in  length.  As  a  rule  this  makes  the  best  shipper  and  is  pre- 
ferred by  the  majority  of  the  florists.  The  second  is  known  as  common 
mistletoe.  The  leaves  are  deep  green  and  about  one  inch  long,  on 
short  stems.  The  berries  are  pinkish  and  slightly  smaller  than  those 
on  the  first  named  variety.  This  kind  of  mistletoe  is  common  in  the 
Coast  Range  and  the  Sierra  Nevada  foothills  and  is  found  growing  on 
the  oaks.  The  third  variety  has  no  common  name.  The  leaves  are 
narrow  with  a*  very  short  stem  and  are  one-half  to  one  inch  long.  The 
berries  are  pearl-like  and  about  the  size  of  those  of  the  first  named. 
This  mistletoe  is  found  in  the  Coast  Range  on  cypress  and  juniper. 


14  UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 

Packing. — Considerable  care  should  be  used  in  gathering  and  pack- 
ing this  material  for  market,  as  it  is  very  brittle.  It  is  frequently 
necessary  to  climb  into  the  tall  trees,  attach  a  rope  to  the  mistletoe, 
cut  it  from  the  tree  and  lower  it  to  the  ground,  as  it  will  break  if 
allowed  to  fall.  It  should  not  be  packed  in  larger  amounts  than  80 
pounds  to  the  box.  Boxes  holding  25  to  50  pounds  would  arrive  at 
their  destination  in  much  better  condition.  It  is  of  little  use  to  ship 
mistletoe  unless  it  is  well-berried  and  of  attractive  appearance.  Great 
quantities  of  this  plant  are  used  throughout  the  United  States,  but  the 
demand  in  California  is  somewhat  limited.  Before  shipping,  it  is 
best  to  send  a  few  branches  to  the  wholesaler,  because  you  may  not 
have  the  variety  which  is  considered  the  most  attractive. 


SUMMARY 

The  business  of  gathering  California  decorative  greens  is  in  its 
infancy,  and  there  is  an  opportunity  of  growing  the  material  at  a 
profit,  especially  in  those  sections  far  removed  from  the  places  where 
it  grows  naturally.  Some  care  anad  attention  should  be  given  to  those 
areas  where  the  material  is  now  growing  and  being  harvested,  to  pre- 
vent its  eradication.  Branches  of  oak  trees,  pussy-willow,  desert  holly 
(Atriplex  hymenelytra)  and  madrone  have  not  been  mentioned  because 
they  are  of  minor  importance  to  the  trade.  The  madrone  should  not 
be  gathered  as  is  being  done  at  the  present  time — by  taking  great 
branches  and  entire  tops  of  trees — and  legislation  such  as  exists  for 
the  protection  of  the  Christmas  redberry  is  most  advisable. 

The  annual  wholesale  value  of  native  greens  produced  in  the  state 
is  approximately  $270,000. 

A  market  should  be  insured  before  sending  the  material  to  the 
cities. 

There  are  wholesale  dealers  who  know  the  limitations  of  the  market. 

The  demand  for  ferns,  salal  and  huckleberry  is  fairly  constant,  but 
the  amount  used  by  any  one  florist  each  day  is  small. 

Contracts  may  be  obtained  for  making  wreaths  for  the  Christmas 
holidays. 

Redwood,  cherry  and  Oregon  pine  are  in  demand  principally  at 
Christmas  time. 


&RCULAR275]      MARKETABLE    CALIFORNIA    DECORATIVE   GREENS  1 5 


LAW  RELATING  TO  TIIK  TO  VON  OK  CHRISTMAS  RKDBKRRY 

"An  act  to  add  a  new  section  to  the  Penal  Code  to  be  numbered 
three  hundred  eighty-four  a,  providing  for  the  protection  of  the  toyon 
or  Christmas  redberry  and  prescribing  penalties  for  violations  of  the 
provisions  thereof. 

(Approved  May  14,  1921.    In  effect  July  29,  1921.) 

THE  PEOPLE  OF  THE  STATE  OP  CALIFORNIA  DO  ENACT 
AS  FOLLOWS : 

Section  1.  A  new  section  is  hereby  added  to  the  Penal  Code,  to  be 
numbered  three  hundred  eighty-four  a,  and  to  read  as  follows : 

384a.  Any  person,  firm  or  corporation  is  guilty  of  a  misdemeanor — 

(a)  Who  mutilates  or  destroys  any  Toyon  or  Christmas  Redberry 
tree  (Heteromeles  arbutifolia)  growing  on  public  or  private  land, 
unless  in  the  case  of  private  land,  the  owner  gives  his  consent  thereto ; 
or 

(b)  Who  sells,  offers  or  exposes  for  sale  any  Toyon  or  Christmas 
Redberry  {Heteromeles  arbutifolia)  or  any  part  thereof  grown  on 
land  in  this  state ;  provided,  that  this  paragraph  shall  not  prevent  the 
sale  of  such  Christmas  Redberry  taken  from  privately  owned  land,  by, 
or  with  the  consent  in  writing  of  the  owner  of  the  land. ' ' 


